Swingable support device



Sept. 20, 1966 JACOBl 3,273,938

SWINGABLE SUPPORT DEVICE Filed June 17, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORL ARNO M- JA C05! ATTORNEVS p 20, 1966 A. M. JACOBI SWINGABLE SUPPORT DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17. 1965 INVENTOR. ARNO M. JACOB/ BY r FIE:- 5-

ATTORNEYS p 20, 1956 A. M. JACOBI SWINGABLE SUPPORT DEVICE 5 Sheets$heet 5 Filed June 17, 1965 INVENTOR. A/e/vo M. JACOB/ BY M ATTOk'NEY5 FIE--11- United States Patent 3,273,938 SWINGABLE SUPPORT DEVICE Arno M. Jacobi, Belmont, Calif., assignor to Walter Jacobi & Sons, Inc., Belmont, Calif., a corporation of California Filed June I7, 1965, Ser. No. 464,814 11 Claims. (Cl. 297-426) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 296,667, filed July 22, 1963, entiltled Church Kneeler, and relates to a swingable support device, and more particularly to a swingable support device such as a church kneeler or a foot rest, for example, which has legs depending therefrom.

Church kneelers of the type adapted to be swung from an operative position, wherein they are used by members of the congregation when kneeling during certain portions of the services, to a retracted position for increasing the floor space in front of the pews, are well known. Since these conventional kneelers are freely swingable, they land in each end position with a thump or thud, and this noise spreads through the entire congregation, causes confusion, and distracts from the solemnity of the occasion.

Common carriers, such as airlines and railroads, for example, usually provide foot rests on the back of each seat for the comfort of the passengers. These foot rests are freely swingable in a manner similar to the church kneelers, and may distract other passengers if they are' noisy when operated.

In addition to being objectionable because of noisy operation, conventional church kneelers and foot rests may be supported solely by cantilever arms which are subjected to the loads carried by the kneelers and foot rests. These loads are often quite heavy and cause rapid deterioration of particularly vulnerable parts, such as bearings. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide legs under the kneelers and foot rests to lessen the wear on the cantilever arms and joints. However, the use of such legs heretofore has not been acceptable either because the legs, which extended perpendicularly to the kneelers or foot rests, stuck out in the space between the pews when the kneelers or foot rests were swung to a retracted, generally vertical position, or they took up too much leg room in front of the pews if the kneelers or foot rests were moved in a horizontal retracted position under a seat.

Accordingly, one of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a swingable support device which has legs for supporting the device when the latter is in operative position, the legs swinging out of a perpendicular relationship with the device and out of the way of worshipers or passengers, for example, when the device is swung to its retracted position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a swingable support device of the class described which may be swung between an operative position and a retracted position with very little noise, thereby reducing distraction to other people in the area.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improved device such as described in which a spring is compressed during a first part of the operating cycle and released during the last part thereof, the device also having means for driving the unit past a dead center position.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent as the specification progresses, and the new and useful features of my swingable support device will .be fully defined in the claims attached hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated: FIGURE 1 shows a perspective rear view of a church bench having one embodiment of the device of this invention attached thereto, the device being shown in a raised,

3,273,938 Patented Sept. 20, 1956 ice retracted position on the left side and in a horizontal position on the right side of the figure;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along line 2--2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2, a retracted position of the device being shown in broken lines;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 6 illustrating in greater detail the fluid control utilized in the invention;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of FIGURE 5 illustrating an alternative construction of the piston;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective rear view of a chair having an alternative embodiment of the device of this invention attached thereto;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along line 1010 of FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE 11 is a vertical section taken along line I111 of FIGURE 10, a retracted position of the device being shown in broken lines.

While I have shown the preferred forms of my invention, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attached without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, a conventional church bench 11 is shown in FIGURE 1 to include two aligned sections 13 and 15 having end supports 17 and 19, a middle support 21, and common back 23 extending the full length of the bench 11.

Briefly, the device of this invention includes a resting member 25, a mechanism 27 adapted to swing member 25 from the solid line position shown in FIGURE 3 to the broken line position shown therein, and legs 29 pivotally connected to member 25. As clearly seen in FIGURE 3, each leg 29 extends downward and away from member 25 when the latter is in the solid line position. However, when the member 25 is swung to the broken line position, the lower end of leg 29 is swung toward the member 25.

The resting member 25 is shown in FIGURES 1 through 8 to be an elongate kneeler 31 having an elongate cushion 33 thereon. Mechanisms 27 are provided at opposite ends of the kneeler 31 connecting the latter to the church bench. Each mechanism 27 includes an arm 35 rigidly connected to the resting member 25 and extending forwardly therefrom. The leg 29 is pivotally connected at 37 to the rearward end of arm 35 and extends downward therefrom, so as to extend generally perpendicular to the resting member 25 when the latter is in the position shown in FIGURE 3. The forward end of arm 35 is pivotally mounted on a post 39 connected to and extending laterally from a bracket plate 41 secured by screws 43 to a support, such as support 21,

An arm or link 45 is pivotally connected at 47 to the lower end of the adjacent leg 29. The rearward end of the arm 45 is pivotally connected to the bracket 41 by a resilient urging means 49.

In general, the resilient means 49 may be any device capable of providing a torque force opposed to the force of gravity on the device when the resting member 25 is in a generally horizontal position. Preferably, the resilient means will act over the entire rotational range of the device and urge the latter toward a raised, retracted position.

The resilient means should also provide a force which is maximum at the horizontal position and minimum at the retracted position. Accordingly, I prefer to use a spring means 51, such as a leaf spring 53, for the purpose (see FIGURES 4 and 5).

The leaf spring 53 is mounted on a base 55 attached to and extending laterally from bracket 41. The outer end 59 of leaf spring 53 extends into a slot 60 in a hub 61 connected to an arm 63 which is secure-d rigidly at 65 to arm 45. The forward end of arm 45 is pivotally mounted on a pin or shaft 67 extending outwardly from base 55. It will be seen that rotational movement of the arm 45 counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 3, to a position wherein member 25 is generally horizontal, winds up spring 53 and the unwinding force of the spring tends to cause rotation of the bracket in a clockwise direction toward the broken line position shown in FIGURE 3. However, the gravitational force on the device when the latter is in the FIGURE 3 position prevents spring 53 from returning the device to the broken line position.

Preferably, the tension in spring 53 is adjustable, and this is achieved by providing a plurality of slots 69 in base 55. Alternatively, a plurality of slots 60 could be provided in hub 61 or in both the hub and the base. The use of a spring is advantageous because it is durable, relatively inexpensive, and reliable in operation. However, as will be made apparent hereinafter, a control means 71 aids in moving the device between an operative position and a retracted position so that the spring 53 is not absolutely essential to the operation of this apparatus.

The control means 71 includes a cushioning element 73 which is illustrated in detail in FIGURES 5 through 8. Element 73 comprises a cylinder 75 having a piston 77 reciprocable therein, with a spring 79 inside the cylinder and bearing at one end on the closed end 81 of the cylinder 75 and at the other end upon the piston. The piston has a connecting rod 83 extending through the other closed end 85 of the cylinder, and pivotally connected at 87 to bracket 41.

The end 81 of the cylinder is closed with a plug 87 which is swaged into or otherwise held in the cylinder, and the plug is constructed for pivotally fitting on a pin 89 which is held in a housing 91 secured to arm 45.

The cylinder 75 is filled with a fiuid 93 and the piston 77 is formed with a relatively narrow passage 95 having one or more restricted openings 97 so that any movement of the piston in the cylinder is accompanied by a certain movement of the fluid through the opening 97, thus slowing down and checking the piston movement. As best seen in FIGURE 7, the passage 95 is in communication with a chamber 99 which contains a ball check 101. This ball check 101 provides the restricted opening 97 when in a closed position as illustrated in FIGURE 7, and a relatively large passage when moved out of a seat 103 toward rod 83. As best seen in FIGURE 6, the restricted opening 97 may be formed by a slot in seat 103.

FIGURE 8 shows an alternative form of passage in which the passage 95a is divided into two chambers 99a, each having a ball check 101a. A restricted opening is provided in each chamber by constructing the device so that the ball makes an imperfect seat. However, it will be appreciated that slots similar to those in the embodiment of FIGURES 5-7 could be formed in the FIGURE 8 embodiment, or that the openings 97 in the FIGURES 5-7 embodiment could be formed by incomplete seating of the ball check 101. The advantage of the form shown in FIGURE 8 resides in the fact that if one opening gets plugged, the other will continue to operate until the material plugging the first opening works loose.

It will be seen that when the device is swung from its solid line position as shown in FIGURE 3 to the broken line position as shown in the same figure, the control means 71 is swung past the dead-center posit-ion. The purpose of this swinging action will become apparent as hereinafter explained.

Assuming the device of this invention is in the position shown in solid lines in FIGURE 3, operation is as follows:

The spring 79 in the cylinder is only under very slight compression as shown in FIGURE 5. However, the leaf spring 53 is under maximum tension, and this assists the opera-tor in lifting the device. As the device is lifted and the cylinder 75 swings about the pivot connection 87, the piston 77 is forced into the cylinder, placing the spring 79 under greater compression, and at the same time forcing a certain amount of fluid through the opening in the piston. In this action, the fluid pushes the ball check 10 1 (or checks) out of their seats and the fluid flows freely through the piston.

This operation continues until the cylinder reaches a dead-center position, i.e., the pivot connections 89, 87 and 67 are in a straight line. At this point, the spring 79 in the cylinder is under maximum compression.

As the cylinder passes dead-center, the spring 79 expands and works in combination with leaf spring 53 to force the device toward the broken line position in FIG- URE 3. During this forward drive, the piston moves toward closed end and forces fluid in the cylinder through the piston toward the left as viewed in FIGURE 5, thus forcing the ball check 101 on to seat 103 to provide the restricted opening 97. This slows down the piston movement, particularly toward the end of the movement where the force of the spring 79 is reduced. Thus, the device 25 arrives at the broken line position of FIG- URE 3 very softly, with very little noise.

In reverse movement, the same action takes place except that the device operates against the leaf spring 53, with the weight of the device overcoming the force of spring 53 during the downward swing of the device. The device is pulled back manually until the cylinder 75 passes dead-center, and then the spring 79 takes over, subject to the control of the fluid passing through the restricted opening 97 in piston 77, and the device is forced to its solid-line position, arriving at such position with very little noise.

While the cylinder 75 is passing dead-center, there seems to be a certain hesitancy, due to the reversal of the action of spring 79 and the reversal of the fluid flow through the opening 97, in continuing its movement in the desired direction. However, by making use of the leaf spring 53 in aiding in the upper movement of the device and by utilizing the weight of the device in downward movement, the force of the spring 79 in the cylinder 75 is reduced, and the operation becomes smooth. In fact, in some cases it is believed that spring 79 might be eliminated, with the spring 53 and the gravitational forces providing the forces necessary to aid manual movement of the device between a solid line posit-ion as shown in FIGURE 3 and its retracted or broken line position. However, in its preferred \fOIITl, the device does contain a spring 79 to hold the device more firmly in each of its end positions.

It will be noted that when the device is in the broken line position as shown in FIGURE 3, the leg 29 is swung from its generally perpendicular relationship with resting member 25 to a position wherein the leg is generally parallel to the arm 35. Thus the leg 29 does not extend rearwardly from the pews into the area between the pews.

An alternative embodiment of this invention is shown in FIGURES 911. This embodiment is generally similar to the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1-8, but is more particularly adapted for use in connection with chairs or seats, such as are used in common carriers. It includes a resting member 25a, a mechanism 27a adapted to swing member 25a from the solid-line position shown in FIGURE 11 to the broken line position shown therein, and a leg 29a pivotally connected at 37a to an arm 35a. The forward end of an arm 45a is pivotally connected to the leg 20a at 47a. The rearward end of arm 45a is pivotally connected at 111 to an L-shaped arm 1 13 on a bracket 41a. Thus, arm 45a is, in effect, pivotally connected to the bracket 41a.

A resilient urging means 49a is connected between bracket 41a and arm 35a in the same manner as the resilient urging means 49 is connected between bracket 41 and arm 45 in the embodiment shown in FIGURES l8. A control means 71a extends between a pivotal connection 8711 on bracket 41a and a pivotal connection 89a on a finger 115 extending up from arm 35a adjacent the point 67a at which the latter is pivotally connected to the bracket 44a. The embodiment shown in FIGURES 9-11 operates in a manner substantially similar to the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1-8 with the control means 71a passing dead-center when the pivot points 67a, 89a and 87a are in a straight line. Like the embodiment shown in FIGURES l8, the embodiment shown in FIGURES 9-11 arrives at both the broken line position and the solid line position with very little noise and extremely softly. Additionally, the leg 29a is folded or swung out of the way when the mechanism is in the broken line position, thus increasing the foot clearance for the person sitting behind the chair to which the embodiment is attached.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the swingable support device of this invention has legs which support the device when the latter is in an operative position, but which legs swing out of a perpendicular relationship with the device and out of the way of anyone sitting behind the seat or bench to which the device is attached when the device is swung to its retracted position. Moreover, the device is swung between its two extreme positions with very little noise, thereby reducing distraction to other people in the area.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A supporting device adapted to be connected to furniture, comprising a resting member, at least one leg pivotally connected to said resting member, a first arm secured at one end to said resting member, a bracket adapted to be connected to said furniture, said arm being pivotally connected at its other end to said bracket, a second arm pivotally connected at one end to said leg, means pivotally supporting the other end of said second arm, said device being adapted for movement between an operative position wherein said resting member is generally horizontal and said leg is substantially normal to said resting member, and a retracted position wherein said resting member and said leg are swung out of operative position and said leg is swung out of its substantially normal position relative to said resting member, spring means connected to one of said arms biasing the device toward said retracted position, and control means connected between said bracket and one of said arms adapted to oppose said spring means for dampening the movement of said resting member as the latter is swung toward said retracted position and being adapted to oppose the gravitational forces exerted on the device as the latter is swung toward the operative position.

2. A supporting device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first arm includes a finger extending away therefrom at the pivotal connection of the arm to the bracket, and said control means is connected between said bracket and said finger.

3. A supporting device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control means is connected between said bracket and said second arm.

4. A swingable supporting device comprising supporting means having a resting member and a first arm connected at one end to said resting member, first means mounting said supporting means for swinging movement from a generally horizontal operative position to a retracted position, said first means including a leg pivotally connected to said supporting means and extending substantially normal to said resting member when said supporting means is in said operative position, second means pivotally mounting the other end of said arm, a second arm pivotally connected at one end to said leg and pivotally connected at the other end to said second means, said leg being pivoted to a position wherein it extends in the same general direction as said first arm when said supporting means is swung to said retracted position, spring means biasing said support toward said retracted position, and control means pivotally connected at one end to one of said arms and pivotally connected at the other end to said second means, said control means being adapted to oppose said spring means for dampening the movement of said support as the latter is swung toward said retracted position, and being adapted to oppose the gravitational force exerted on said support as the latter is swung toward said operative position.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said second means comprises a bracket, said first arm includes a finger extending away therefrom at the pivotal connection of the arm to the bracket, and said control means is connected between said bracket and said finger.

6. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said second means comprises a bracket and said control means is connected between said bracket and said second arm.

7. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said means connecting each leg to a bracket includes an arm pivotally connected at one end to said leg and pivotally supported at the other end.

8. A swingable supporting device comprising a resting member, means for swinging said member between an operative position and a retracted position, a leg pivotally connected at one end to said resting member and extending downwardly and away from said resting member when the latter is in said operative position, said means being connected to said leg to swing the other end thereof toward said resting member when the latter is swung to said retracted position, a bracket, a first arm extending between said bracket and said resting member, a second arm pivotally connected to said leg, and control means for dampening the movement of the resting member as the latter is swung toward said positions, said control means being connected between said bracket and said second arm.

9. A swingable supporting device comprising a resting member, a leg pivotally connected to said resting member, a linkage supporting said resting member and said leg for movement between an operative position wherein said resting member is generally horizontal and said leg extends substantially normal and downward therefrom and a retracted position wherein said resting member and said leg are swung away from said operative position and said leg is swung out of its substantially normal position relative to said resting member, and control means connected to said linkage for dampening the movement of said resting member as the latter is swung toward said retracted position and being adapted to oppose the gravitational forces exerted on said support as the latter is swung toward said operative eposition, said linkage including a first arm secured at one end to said resting member and a second arm pivotally connected to said leg, and said control means being connected at one end to said second arm.

10. A swingable supporting device comprising a resting member, a leg pivotally connected to said resting member, a linkage supporting said resting member and said leg for movement between an operative position wherein said resting member is generally horizontal and said leg extends substantially normal and downward therefrom and a retracted position wherein said resting member and said leg are swung away from said operative position and said leg is swung out of its substantially normal position relative to said resting member, control means connected to said linkage for dampening the movement of said resting member as the latter is swung toward said retracted position and being adapted to oppose the gravitational forces exerted on said support as the latter is swung toward said operative position, and a bracket, said linkage including an arm secured at one end to said resting member and pivotally connected at the other end to said bracket, said arm having a finger extending away therefrom at the pivotal connection, and said control means being connected at one end to said bracket and at the other end to said finger.

11. A swingable supporting device comprising a resting member, a leg pivotally connected to said resting member, a linkage supporting said resting member and said leg for movement between an operative position wherein said resting member is generally horizontal and said leg extends substantially normal and downward therefrom and a retracted position wherein said resting member and said leg are swung away from said operative position and said leg is swun-g out of its substantially normal position relative to said resting member, control means connected to said linkage for dampening the movement of said resting member as the latter is swung toward said retracted position and being adapted to oppose the gravitational forces exerted on said support as the latter is swung toward said operative position, and a bracket, said linkage including an arm pivotally connected at one end to said leg and pivotally connected at the other end to said bracket, and said control means being connected at one end to said bracket and at the other end to said arm.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 701,050 5/1902 Keeran 297426 2,460,791 2/1949 Bernhard 297426 3,107,122 10/1963 Jacobi 297-426 3,107,943 10/1963 King 297426 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Examiner. 

1. A SUPPORTING DEVICE ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO FURNITURE, COMPRISING A RESTING MEMBER, AT LEAST ONE LEG PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID RESTING MEMBER, A FIRST ARM SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID RESTING MEMBER, A BRACKET ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO SAID FURNITURE, SAID ARM BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ITS OTHER END TO SAID BRACKET, A SECOND ARM PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID LEG, MEANS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING THE OTHER END OF SAID SECOND ARM, SAID DEVICE SUPPORTING THE OTHER END OF SAID SECOND OPERATIVE POSITION WHEREIN SAID RESTING MEMBER IS GENERALLY HORIZONTAL AND SAID LEG IS SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID RESTING MEMBER, AND A RETRACTED POSITION WHEREIN SAID RESTING MEMBER AND SAID LEG ARE SWUNG OUT OF OPERATIVE POSITION AND SAID LEG IS SWUNG OUT OF ITS SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID RESTING MEMBER, SPRING MEANS CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID ARMS BIASING THE DEVICE TOWARD SAID RETRACTED POSITION, AND CONTROL MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID BRACKET AND ONE OF SAID ARMS ADAPTED TO OPPOSE SAID SPRING MEANS FOR DAMPENING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID RESTING MEMBER AS THE LATTER IS SWUNG TOWARD SAID RETRACTED POSITION AND BEING ADAPTED TO OPPOSE THE GRAVITIONAL FORCES EXERTED ON THE DEVICE AS THE LATTER IS SWUNG TOWARD THE OPERATIVE POSITION. 